Rhino attack victim told to ’stand closer’

Johannesburg - A West Rand student who was attacked by a rhino at the weekend was reportedly advised by the game park owner to move closer to the animals to pose for pictures.

This happened just moments before she was impaled and seriously injured, Beeld newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Chantal Beyer, 24, who is in the intensive care unit of the Krugersdorp Private Clinic, told her uncle, Thom Peeters, that game park owner Alex Richter had snapped pictures of her just seconds before the accident, and that he had suggested she should “stand just a little bit closer”.

Peeters said the rhino's horn had penetrated Beyers' chest from behind, on the right, almost exiting through her shoulder and resulting in a collapsed lung and broken ribs.

She was on a game drive with nine other people at the Aloe Ridge hotel and nature reserve in Muldersdrift when Richter stopped near two rhinos.

He reportedly used chunks of mieliepap to coax the rhinos towards them, then told his guests they could get out of the car to take pictures, as it was completely safe.

When Beeld visited Aloe Ridge on Monday, Richter declined to comment, then got into his car and drove away. - Sapa